Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroons Gluten Free 10-17-08

Chocolate plus hazelnuts equals gianduja — a flavor you may have encountered in fine Italian chocolates.

SERVINGS
2 1/2 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup organic raw hazelnuts (Filberts)
9 Stevia Packets and 1 Tbsp Evaporated Cane Juice or Sugar
1/4 cup Organic / Fair Trade unsweetened cocoa
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/8 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2 large organic egg whites (can do without)
1 teaspoon Singing Dog vanilla extract

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts in 9" by 9" inch metal baking pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until toasted. ( you can also dehydrate these in your food dehydrator, but skip eggs) Wrap hot hazelnuts in clean cloth towel. With hands, roll hazelnuts back and forth to remove most of skins. Cool. Line 2 large cookie sheets with unbleached parchment paper.

2. In food processor with knife blade attached, process hazelnuts, sugar, stevia, cocoa, chocolate, and salt until nuts and chocolate are finely ground. Add egg whites and vanilla and process until blended.

3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons, using another spoon to release batter, 2 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking, or until tops feel firm when pressed lightly. Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks.

4. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.